Select Local Merchants

Fiesta Cancun Authentic in Monroe is a well-known Mexican restaurant, offering a laid-back vibe with a delicious menu. The great quality, set in a relaxed environment, will make you a regular.
There's no particular required attire, so feel free to dress comfortably.
If you just feel like stopping by for a beverage, the restaurant has helpful bar staff (and a good selection behind the bar).
All things considered, Fiesta Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant is definitely a good call.

Enjoy a homemade Southern classic at Liliana's Restaurant, a local Cajun-inspired restaurant.
Looking for low-fat, gluten-free meal options? Look no further at Liliana's Restaurant.
You'll find a wonderful selection of drinks from Liliana's Restaurant's full bar to top off your meal.
Gather the whole family for a trip to Liliana's Restaurant — everyone will find something to like (even the pickiest little eater) on the menu here.
Groups of all sizes can easily be seated at Liliana's Restaurant.
Surround yourself with the wonderful weather at your next night out at Liliana's Restaurant.
Business casual dress, tasty food and a classic atmosphere makes this a great place for any occasion.
Feed the gang at your next get-together with catering from Liliana's Restaurant as well.
If you're strapped for time, take out food from Liliana's Restaurant.
For drivers, a nearby lot is available for use.
Bikers can store their bikes safely while they enjoy a meal at Liliana's Restaurant.
Fancy snacks do come at a higher price, but wow are they delicious.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at the restaurant, but reviewers rate the dinner menu the highest.

Located in Iowa City, Z'Marik Noodle Cafe is a well-known restaurant that delivers a delightful menu. This restaurant delivers an unforgettable dining experience set in a casual atmosphere. The reasonable prices allow visitors to focus on what matters: the superb quality.
There's no specific recommended attire, so feel free to dress casually and comfortably. Also, though the prices are considered to be lower than average, you aren't going to sacrifice any quality. In fact, you should be able to enjoy a good meal for $11 or $12, and can probably get in and out for $8 if you try.
With vegan items on the menu, there really is something for every taste and most local parents will tell you that it's a good place to bring the kids, as well. If you're in a hurry, you can always take advantage of the convenient take-out offerings.
Specializing in lunch, a trip to Z'Marik Noodle Cafe is definitely worthwhile. Visitors to the restaurant have access to a private lot nearby or can park on the street. Should you prefer to pedal over there, bicycle parking's also offered.

Wash down curry with some cold lassi at Masala Indian Vegetarian — this Indian eatery is a must-try.
Go out for a vegan meal packed with vitamins and flavor at Masala Indian Vegetarian.
The drink list at Masala Indian Vegetarian has everything you need to complete your meal (and your night out).
Little guys and gals will also love dining at Masala Indian Vegetarian, which offers a family-friendly environment (and menu).
Masala Indian Vegetarian offers a free wifi hot spot — perfect for surfing the web or getting a little work done.
No suit, no problem! The dress code at laid-back Masala Indian Vegetarian is ultra casual.
For those in a rush, the restaurant lets you take your food to go.
Call Masala Indian Vegetarian for catering if you have a big event coming up.
Masala Indian Vegetarian's guests can take advantage of the easy street and lot parking options.
Typical diners should plan to spend about $30 per person on Masala Indian Vegetarian's moderately priced fare.

For fragrant jasmine rice and rich curry, Vientiane Palace Restaurant II is a prime pick for Thai cuisine.
Low-fat is one factor and amazing taste is another. Come see which wins out at Vientiane Palace Restaurant II.
Find time to peruse the wine list here — Vientiane Palace Restaurant II offers a variety of drink options.
Bring the whole clan to Vientiane Palace Restaurant II — kids and parents will love the menu and ambience here.
Take the comfort of your own home and add great grub from Vientiane Palace Restaurant II to create the perfect night.
For those in a hurry, the restaurant lets you take your meal or snack to go.
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You won't break the bank at Vientiane Palace Restaurant II, with a meal typically hovering below the $15 mark.

Groupon Guide

In this installment, Groupon’s food correspondent the Picky Panda talks to Kristy Turner, author of the vegan blog Keepin’ it Kind. Her cookbook, But I Could Never Go Vegan!, creatively chips away at the reasons why some people say they’re incapable of a vegan lifestyle. (The book is available on Groupon Goods for a few more days!) The Groupon Guide previously spoke to Kristy in an effort to save tofu’s much-maligned reputation; here, the Panda delves deeper into her meat-free philosophy.
PICKY PANDA: Even though I have what looks like a carnivore’s digestive system, I’m also vegan! It’s great to meet someone with similar sensibilities. Why did you become vegan?
KRISTY TURNER: I saw an interview with Ellen Degeneres and Katie Couric. Ellen said something like, “there is no such thing as pain-free torture and humane murder.” I didn’t know that there was torture and death in the egg and dairy industry. When I learned that, I began to do some research and turned up a lot of stuff. I was a fromagier and a huge cheese nut … But I found that dairy could no longer satisfy my taste buds.
That’s some heavy stuff. Can I ask how your cookbook come about?I started [Keepin’ It Kind] and my husband did the photography for it. I had so much fun cooking dishes and decided to document [them], and it took off. Then I got an email from a publisher with a concept they thought I would be good for. I had always been that person, saying I could never go vegan, and you hear so many excuses from people why they couldn’t go vegan.
Tell me about it. My coworkers are always like, “I don’t have the specialized microbes in my gut that will allow me to digest the cellulose in bamboo.” And I’m like, “Dude, just try it!” What’s the most common excuse for not going vegan that you hear, and how do you address it?“I could never give up cheese!” I had that excuse as well. In my book, I provide a lot of recipes that can satisfy that craving. There are a lot of options out there. I thought I could never find a [vegan substitute for] aged cheddar, but I did. I wanted to have quick and easy recipes, so you can make macaroni and cheese, and tofu chevre.
I’ve never had a cheese craving myself, but congrats on defeating yours in a vegan-friendly way. How do you see veganism growing as a movement? What’s your preferred way of spreading the word?I do see it becoming more popular. It is not as unheard of anymore, which I love. You don’t have to explain what veganism is to every person you come in contact with.
I try not to be a preacher. Instead, I hope to provide a healthy, happy example of veganism. If someone asks, I explain it simply, calmly, and politely so they feel [that] veganism is approachable and not something to be overwhelmed by.
That’s great. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by how little I know about any food besides bamboo, but you seem like an excellent resource. What do you think the future holds for veganism? What advancements do you look forward to?
[My husband] Chris and I talk about this all the time. We think our grandkids will be shocked that people used to eat animals. There are already lots of amazing faux cheeses and meats out there—there’s even a new LA vegan cheese shop called Vromage. It will just keep becoming more available and mainstream.
Sounds like there’s a lot in store. Last question, and I’m especially excited to hear your answer: how would you put your own spin on bamboo? I heard that bamboo tartar is going to be really big. Pureeing it and serving it raw with some seasoning would be amazing!
About the Picky Panda:As a giant panda, I eat up to 30 pounds of bamboo a day. But after I got a job writing for the Groupon Guide, I found out that not everyone eats bamboo exclusively. (And that not everyone is a giant panda! Geeze!) Now, I’m on a mission to learn all I can about the world of food, cooking, and restaurants by talking to some of the greatest culinary minds of our time.Previous Picky Panda Talks:Dan Raskin, co-owner of Chicago’s iconic Manny’s Deli David Lebovitz, the bon vivant and author of several food books, most recently My Paris Kitchen

Contrasted with all the brightly hued vegetables available in the supermarket, cauliflower seems rather plain. But as people become more conscious of their diets—and as the paleo trend increases in popularity—cauliflower attracts the spotlight more and more. In fact, publications from the Boston Globe to Slate have attested to its status as “the new kale.”To give context to the hype, we spoke to Anthony Apostol, a Chicago restaurant reviewer for the website Paleo Porn. He told us that cauliflower “is an extremely versatile and nutritious food,” and when it comes to preparing it healthily, “the sky’s the limit!” "Extremely Nutritious"Just one serving of cauliflower supplies 77% of a day’s vitamin C, as well as a laundry list of other nutrients: vitamins K and B6, potassium, magnesium, and protein, among others. Its fiber supports the digestive system, while its sulforaphane improves blood pressure and kidney function.
However, the bloom-like veggie is notoriously bland. To boost its taste and insert it into recipes as a healthy substitute, chefs have had to innovate extensively in the kitchen, learning how to cook cauliflower in ways that the casual diner would not have anticipated.
"Extremely Versatile"According to Anthony, cauliflower’s flavors and texture change dramatically depending on how you prep it. He called out Chicago’s Girl and the Goat’s roasted cauliflower as one great staple: “Roasting [gives it] a really nice flavor, especially with nutty tones like toasted sesame seeds.” But if you want to go beyond roasting, you can also use cauliflower to turn high-carb foods into low-carb alternatives.Pizza crust: Chefs finely process cauliflower and mix it with eggs and cheese to create a low-carb crust that retains its crunch. And, much like they do at Prufrock Pizzeria in LA, many venues are turning to cauliflower to give customers an option for gluten-free pie.Mashed potatoes: Anthony waxed poetic when he talked about his most memorable cauliflower “mashed potato” dish: “It was seasoned with nothing but salt and chicken broth … light in texture but bold in flavor … If you puree it enough, the taste is absolutely decadent.” Eateries across the country are catching wise to this variant, and the cauliflower puree at Chicago’s mEAT is seasoned just as simply: salt, pepper, and vegetable stock.Creamy soups: Boiled and finely pureed, cauliflower makes for “wonderfully earthy and hearty soups”—and they’re often vegan, too, because you can skip the cream. At home, Anthony recommends adding coconut milk and curry to soups for some southeast Asian flair.Rice: Surprisingly, once it’s grated or run through a food processor, then sauteed or steamed, cauliflower becomes a salient rice substitute. It’s one of Anthony’s favorite hacks, and he uses it in many types of cuisine. As diners at AQ Restaurant in San Francisco know, it works great as a risotto with scallops, pineapple, and sesame.Images: Cauliflower Crust, Low Carb pizza by Deb Nystrom under CC BY 2.0; 662 by Miikka H under CC BY-SA 2.0; Vegan Cream of Cauliflower by Lablascovegmenu under CC BY 2.0; Cauliflower “Rice” from Well Fed by kirybabe under CC BY-SA 2.0
Check out other healthy trends on the rise:17 Ways to Add Chia Seeds & Co. to Foods You Already EatTofu Reinvents Its Mushy, Lumpy, Tasteless Reputation

If you’ve ever ordered tofu in a restaurant and been served a soft, tasteless lump, then you understand why tofu gets a bad rap. Fortunately, more and more chefs and home cooks are learning how to cook tofu, using the versatile ingredient in a variety of dishes while helping the nutrient-rich food outgrow its bad reputation.For example, Upton’s Breakroom, the onsite café of Chicago seitan producer Upton’s Naturals, uses tofu to replace eggs in a number of dishes, including the breakfast sandwich (pictured above). “We use extra-firm tofu that we preseason [with nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, pepper, and onion] and then fry on the griddle for a few minutes on each side,” said Dan Staackmann, the company’s president.
Ultimately, the difference between good and bad tofu dishes lies in what kind of tofu you use and how you cook it, something Kristy Turner knows all too well. When Turner, the writer behind the Keepin’ It Kind blog and But I Could Never Go Vegan!, first switched to a vegan diet, she thought tofu was bland and mushy. But that was before she learned a few tips on how to cook tofu.Tip #1: Don’t waste your time with medium tofu.It is important that cooks use each tofu’s consistency to its advantage. Silken and soft tofu’s smooth texture works well in dressings, sauces, and desserts. On the other hand, firm and extra-firm tofu can be marinated, fried, sautéed, baked, and grilled to make feta-cheese crumbles, scalloped potatoes, and even alfredo sauce. But don’t even bother cooking with medium tofu. Its in-between firmness just ends up disappointing newbies.Tip #2: Pressing is essential when working with extra-firm tofu. The process removes water from the tofu, creating a firm base and transforming it into a sponge that can absorb any flavor. The chefs at Upton’s Naturals press tofu while it’s on the griddle, but the process is generally done beforehand, as demonstrated in this video.Once Turner learned the best ways to cook each type of tofu, she was able to satisfy her cravings for animal products at every meal. Below are her top picks.BreakfastTofu scrambleType of tofu: Extra-firmWhat it replaces: Eggs“When I first went vegan, the number-one recipe I used to make was tofu scramble. It is pretty easy, and there is not a lot of prep,” Turner said. She flavors the tofu with spices and nutritional yeast, but her secret ingredient is black salt, whose sulfuric taste is similar to that of eggs.LunchTofu chèvreType of tofu: Extra-firmWhat it replaces: CheeseTo get as much water out of the tofu as possible, Turner suggests pressing it the day before and then letting it sit in the fridge overnight. After that, blend the tofu with other ingredients until it reaches a smooth yet firm consistency. Then, bake it and eat it alone or use it as an ingredient in another meal. “I use it in sandwiches, on pizzas, and in salads,” Turner said.DinnerPan-fried tofuType of tofu: Extra-firmWhat it replaces: Chicken, pork, and beefPan-frying is one of Turner’s favorite ways to eat tofu. To ensure the tofu is as firm as possible, she presses it while she is at work. Then, she chops it up and pan-fries it with coconut oil and spices.DessertNo-bake chocolate peanut-butter tartType of tofu: SilkenWhat it replaces: Cream cheese and heavy cream“I always use silken tofu for a creamy texture,” Turner said. “It is rich and decadent.” Silken tofu doesn’t need to be pressed, but its excess water should be drained. Then, place it in a food processor with the filling’s other ingredients and blend. Once the mixture is smooth, it’s poured over the crust and left to cool. Top photo at Upton's Breakroom by Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon. Photos of Kristy Turner and meals courtesy of Chris Miller.Take a wider view of the world of vegan food:An Insider's Look at the Breakroom at Upton's NaturalsBuy Kristy Turner's Cookbook on Groupon Goods